The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-17
SUGAR FROM SORGHUM.
The New Diffusion Process Cheap ant
Sure.


Washington Correspondence of the Baltimore
ABiericGn.
There is hope for the farmers vet. In
these days of agricultural vicissitudes, when
wheat, corn, tobacco, potatoes and farm
products generally do not actually return to
these patient tillers of the soil the outlay
necessary for their production, they recog-
nize that they must cast about for some,
thing that viii. But-what that something
shall be none of them have so far been able
to discover. Commissioner Colman is CON
fitent that be has solved the problem for
them i'll the production of sorghum sugar
and certainly there seems to be CLEAN of
hope in the interesting statement that
he makes as to the success of the
government experiments in progress at
Fort Scott, Kan. Commissioner Colman
has Just returned from an official visit to
that place, and thinks that he sees the lusty
infancy of great industry for the Ameri-
can farmer that will place him on his feet
again, and wholly do away with the neces-
sity for the importation of sugar into the
United States. The raising of sorghum is
not new idea, as it has been many wears
since it was entered into in some places
upon large scale and with great deal of
enthusiasm. But there were no good results,
principally because of the defective ma
chinery used. All these imperfections have
now been overcome, and where by the old
process only forty pounds of sugar could be
obtained from ton of cane, more than 100
pounds can be obtained under the new pro
cess The new process is known as the diff
fusion or saturation process, which
does away with the old time,
costly and Ineffective machinery, and
saves much larger percentage of the cane
Juice at much less expense. BY the old
method fully one-third of it was lost. These
experiments were made last year. but
everything being new and untried, only
600 pounds of sugar were made, and it
was, consequently, considered a failure AS
at present manufactured, the cane is cut
into chips and passed into a battery of
twelve cells, each holding ton of chips
Hot water is then applied, which exhaustS
the saccharine matter SO thoroughly that
there is scarcely trace of it left. The cells
are entirely practical, being speedily filled,
manipulated and emptied, one man attend
ing to the entire operation. The process is
as rapid as the old method, less costly, and
enables the manufacturer to secure and
utilize all the juice.
Thus does it seem that field of industry
is about to be opened up that commends
itself to the agricultural interests as almost
sure to give handsome profit, besides the
saving of the annual payment to other
countries for sugar, and which, in the nature
of things would be constantly increasing. In
speaking of the experiments, Commissioner
Colman says: mo Touring mill is more
surely turning out its Quota of -four than is
the Parkinson sugar works at Fort Scott,
Kan, turning out its quote of sugar to-day,
and sugar of the best quality, polariZing
$50 The mill is capable of working up
every twenty-four hours $50 tons of cane,
making therefrom 900 pounds of sugar or
more. A yield of from ten to fifteen
tons of cane per acre was being
secured, which would produce, by
this new process, from ], 200 to l 800 pounds
of sugar. This sugar is worth, by the car
load there, SIC. per pound. | left there
after the first weeks work, and it was esti-
mated that over 100, 900 pounds of sugar had
already been smade. The sugar was there
to be seen by everybody, too. Nor is this
all. To every ton of cane, aside from the
sugar in it, there are some ten or twelve
gallons of molasses, and also the seed raised
upon the cane, amounting to about twenty
five bushels per acre, and just as good for
feeding all kinds of stock as Indian corn
Indeed, the seed, it is estimated, will pay
for raising the cane, which is a merit
possessed by no other sugar plant. Our ma
ton Is paying Sl00, 100000 annually to the
sugar producers of other countries. and if we
have demonstrated that we can profitably
produce sugar on our own farms, 1t is a
matter CT the highest Importance to the
country. 1t will not only keep this money
at home, hut will save to our people S50,-
100000 annually in customs duties. Col
Parkinson, the manager at Fort Scott
would have been satisfied with seventy-five
pounds of crystalized sugar per ton, and
with the seed and molasses at present prices,
could have run his factory at a profit, but
now, when he comes to get at least fifty
pounds more to the ton. his enthusiasm is
very great. | cannot see why our people
should not go to making sugar A com
plete sugar factory will cost about as much
as a Touring mill, and can be run at great
profit, according to the present experiments
Farmers are glad to RAISE the cane at 81 per
ten, and at that it pays better than other
farm produce. There is an oveI'pro-
prices ruinously low. and if this new indus
try will employ a portion OF those now rails
ing other things at no profit, it will give
great relief to the farming classes and open
up most promising field for both farmer
and manufacturer Indeed, | look upon
these experiments as being equally import
ant to this country as the invention of the
cotton gin While, under the old methods,
1t was found improbable to make sugar,
under the new system the largely increased
yield will provide profitable industry, even
at the present prices of sugar. may be
called enthusiastic, but seeing is believing,
and from what have seen in the past few
weeks, believe that in few years time
everybody will admit that there is very
good ground for my present enthusiasm.
The experiments now being conducted at
Rio Grande, Y. j., are also very satisfac-
tory The process is to be tried on South
ern cane in November, and the Commits
sioner is sanguine of success.